Support Services Senior Officer

Peace and Security Cluster

Recent assessments indicate widespread explosive ordnance contamination in Northern Ethiopia, especially in areas that have seen intense fighting. While the full extent and impact of the contamination is yet to be established, the fighting is believed to have contaminated vast swathes of land with explosive remnants of war (ERW). Moreover, explosive remnants of war (ERW) continue affecting the life of civilians, including several children, in recent months. ERW is spread across residential areas and internally displaced persons sites, in communal locations and amongst rubble, posing an immediate risk to life, the delivery of humanitarian aid, inhibiting safe movement, and preventing access to basic services.

The project aims to reduce the immediate and long-term impact of explosive ordnance on civilians and humanitarian operations in northern Ethiopia through coordination and explosive ordnance risk education. As lead of the mine action area of responsibility, ensuring MA contributes to improving the safety of at-risk communities by establishing a humanitarian mine action sector, capable of effectively delivering on the objectives of the Humanitarian Response Plan. The Mine Action Response Programme defines and implements specific activities in accordance with emerging humanitarian needs and through needs-based prioritization, involving an analysis of the explosive ordnance threat, IDPs movement, survey data, and the wider humanitarian response.

Under the direct supervision of the Operations/Quality Assurance Officer, the incumbent will perform the following duties:

Procurement

• Full compliance of procurement activities within UNOPS rules, regulations and policies;

• Develop and maintain the procurement plan for all programme procurement including, but not limited to, invitations to Bid (ITB), Request for Proposals (RFP), Request for Quotations (RFQ), Shopping and other bidding documents calling for the supply of goods and services on competitive basis;

• Coordinate procurement activity on all requisitions;

• Prepare all procurement documents including expression of interest, pre-qualification, solicitation, evaluation, HQCPC submissions, request for award and contracts;

• Assist with the pre-qualification and short-listing of bidders, preparations of bids, issuance of bids, pre-bid conference, receipt and opening of bids, bid evaluation, recommendation of award, contracts negotiations, contract finalization and issuance.

• Process and manage Purchase Orders on oneUNOPS including raising Purchase Orders, sending for approval, sending to suppliers, receipting and sending for payment, monitoring and problem solving;

• Maintain constant liaison with contractors, supplier, and consignee until safe and timely delivery of goods/services. Liaise with UNOPS HQ on the settlement of insurance claims when required;

• Monitoring of contracts for compliance, reporting, payments, award limits and expiry;

• Compile and submit the procurement quarterly reports, procurement plan and other procurement and contract management reports as required;

• Review procurement related financial documents before submission to finance section for further process;

• Maintain Procurement Register and procurement files in accordance with programme and UNOPS policies;

• Evaluate contracts/suppliers claims pertaining to outstanding contracts/procurement actions; subsequent endorsement of invoices in accordance with UNOPS Financial Rules and Regulations;

• Provide procurement advice and support to the field staff for efficient delivery of services to the clients, while maintaining high level of compliance with the UNOPS procedures.

Finance

• Manage Operational Advances and Petty Cash including making requests, educating the custodians, coordinating surprise checks, monthly audits, reviewing reconciliations, coordinating replenishments and closing accounts;

• Complete monthly cash-flows for all projects and assist the SSO in developing recommendations for projected under/overspends.

• Assist in the preparation of Budgets and budget amendments;

• Assist in maintaining effective financial management, monitoring and control systems in accordance with UNOPS/UN Financial Rules and Regulations;

• Oversee preparation of payment requests in accordance with relevant SOPs and Financial rules and Regulations.

Administration and Human Resources

• Act as focal point liaison between the programme and PSC for administration and HR activities;

• Monitor the processing of personnel payments for salaries, MORSS, R&R & other entitlements;

• Monitor the monthly attendance of personnel, update the leave/mission plans and submit quarterly travel plans;

• Assist with the coordination of travel processing and payments;

• Monitor the information management of personnel files, travel files and travel register;

• Assist with recruitment of national personnel;

• Assist with the coordination of deployment plans of international personnel;

• Coordinate Induction of new personnel and checkout of departing personnel;

• Monitor the HR Plan and ensure contract extensions/amendments are processed in a timely manner.

Logistics

• Ensure Receipt and Inspection reports for incoming equipment and supplies are completed;

• Coordinate the management, audit, issue and ordering of inventory and supplies required for the operation of the programme;

• Coordinate with the Asset Focal Point for the management, tracking, maintenance and reporting of assets and non- expendable property and equipment and ensure that physical verification of assets and equipment is performed on a regular schedule, and that any discrepancies are fully investigated and resolved;

• Assist in implementing a disposal plan in accordance with UNOPS policy for unserviceable assets and expired/damaged stock, following donor regulations;

• Coordinate the movement of goods into and around Ethiopia including; customs clearance, freight movement and receipting;

• Coordinate with the asset focal point for equipment maintenance, repair and replacement during the program lifecycle.

General and Programme Support

• Knowledge sharing with the team and day to day supervision of all staff under responsibility and the team they provide support to;

• Support in monitoring and evaluation;

• Assist in the supervision and capacity building of the national staff under supervision and ensure that the staff are knowledgeable and comply with the UNOPS protocols and regulations;

• Assist in coordination of external visits and Programme briefings;

• When requested, assist the operations unit in drafting plans, reports, contracts, statements of work, and related documents as required, to support operations;

• Ensure compliance with all UNOPS rules and regulations embodied in its regulatory framework - Organizational Directives, Administrative Instructions and other documents as periodically issued and updated by UNOPS;

• Perform other related duties as required.

• Advanced University Degree (Master Degree or equivalent) with a minimum of 2 years of relevant experience; OR;
• First level University degree (Bachelor Degree or equivalent) with a minimum of 4 years of relevant experience

• Applicants must have a legal entitlement to work in Ethiopia
• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• Work life harmonization - UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.  

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns.
Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.

UNOPS is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve sustainable development.

UNOPS areas of expertise cover infrastructure, procurement, project management, financial management and human resources.

Working with us

UNOPS offers short- and long-term work opportunities in diverse and challenging environments across the globe. We are looking for creative, results-focused professionals with skills in a range of disciplines.

Diversity

With over 4,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,000 personnel recruited on behalf of UNOPS partners spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a wide range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced, diverse workforce — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs, and continually strive to improve our gender balance through initiatives and policies that encourage recruitment of qualified female candidates.

Work life harmonization

UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands.